Coming Back to Ourselves: Deep Listening with Brian Pertl

In this episode of Coming Back to Ourselves, Ken is joined by his longtime friend and creative partner, Brian Pertl—a musician, ethnomusicologist, didgeridooist, and practitioner of deep listening.

Together, they explore the practice of deep listening, a concept developed by composer Pauline Oliveros, and what it means to truly pay attention to the world around us ... and within us.

Through stories, laughter, and reflection, Brian shares how deep listening can:

• awaken creativity and play
• build connection and belonging
• help us regulate, reset, and remember our five-year-old selves

This episode also includes a guided deep listening exercise with a full minute of intentional silence.

Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction to Brian Pertl (didgeridoo, deep listener, and longtime collaborator)

00:30 — Why this season calls us to “come back to ourselves”

03:27 — What is deep listening? The story behind the practice

05:35 — Listening beyond what we normally notice

07:46 — Deep listening as culture-building and leadership practice

11:22 — A simple deep listening exercise using words and sound

13:18 — From vulnerability to shared meaning: what emerges in groups

15:27 — “Feeling comfortable being uncomfortable”

18:08 — Sound, space, and play

22:20 — Why there are no wrong notes (and no wrong ways to participate)

23:43 — Practicing deep listening in nature

26:05 — What do you hear when you pause?

28:00 — Listening as presence—and as an embodied practice

31:05 — Guided deep listening exercise (find a quiet place)

32:50 — One minute of intentional silence

33:55 — Returning from the exercise: what did you notice?

35:19 — Final reflections and remembering your five-year-old self

The ALP is supported by Human Capital Education. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment